U.S. Pat. No. 6,018,774 discloses a method for creating an electronic postcard delivered electronically to the recipient. A system interacts with a user to create and configure a display. A user provides the image data to the system and optionally specifies a message and address for the image display. The system creates the display, comprising a mixture of image and textual data, and sends a notification including identification of the display to a specified addressee. The addressee can then request receipt of the display from the system via the identification information sent by the system.
Commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,666,215 discloses a method for viewing photographic images on a personal computer and enabling a consumer to select images for initial printing, reprinting and ordering related image products.
Photographic negatives often are provided to a scanner to obtain image data. The image data is manipulated to provide a positive image in the case of the photographic negatives and sent to the consumer's personal computer. The desired images are then selected and order information is provided, based on the positive image as displayed on the display of the personal computer. The order information is recorded to permit the desired prints and services to be created and the resulting order is sent to the location. The following can also be used as sources of images to be selected for prints and other services; image files from digital cameras, image files stored in digital format on floppy disks, Picture CDs, Photo CDs, CD-ROMs, downloaded from the Internet, and negatives and prints scanned using a scanner and displayed on a personal computer's display.
The above discussed patents describe methods and systems by which a consumer can create or receive digital files of their images. Also described are how consumers can send these image files to a central receiving agency with the consumer authorization code 250 for these image files to be printed and various types of hardcopy products to be created.
These same consumers frequently use their personal computers to send images attached to e-mail messages to friends and relatives that also own personal computers that are connected to electronic communications systems such as the Internet. A problem is a majority of the consumers do not own or have access to personal computers or have ready access to the Internet. Therefore they do not have the capability to receive images electronically from friends and relatives who do. In some cases where consumers have Internet access at their place of employment they do not have the ability to print a color high quality image from the image file they receive. In addition many recipients prefer hard copy over soft copy displays.
Furthermore in some cases an advertiser or sponsors may wish to use the soft display (Cathode ray tube, liquid crystal display) to show a message that they wish the consumer to see and share with a receiver as in the case of targeted advertising or fund raising activities.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,706 discloses a method for providing a postage ad label. A label having an advertisement for a specific company and a space for a postage stamp is affixed to an envelope and the cost of the postage is reduced by the revenue from the ad label.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,423,573 discloses a device where a composite stamp has two parts that are used in combination to provide the finished stamp on a piece of mail. One part bears a decorative design, and the second part bears the normal identifying postage-related information including country, denomination, etc. and also has an area on which the first part is to be adhered. Both parts have adhesive backs and may, for example, be provided in dry-peelable form on a suitable carrier substrate.
There is a problem with prior arrangements in that they both require extra handling and processing. The above two patents describe methods for sponsoring mail.